Pumps that are propelling liquid on the basis adhesion, which are sometimes referred to as “Tesla pumps”, usually comprise a housing having an inlet and an outlet. At least one adhesion-propelling disc is mounted on a rotatable shaft, which is drivable by a drive. Rotation of the at least one adhesion-propelling discs causes fluids engaging with the disc(s) to be transported from the inlet to the outlet by centrifugal force. Accordingly, the fluid inlet is centered, whereas the outlet of the fluid is located at the periphery of the pump. In the art, a variety of adhesion-based pumps have been conceived so far.
It should be noted that the term “adhesion” in association with the conveyance of fluid as used herein refers to any type of fluid-conveyance, wherein at least one fluid molecule is in adhesive contact with a surface such that movement of the surface results in the exertion of translation forces on the at least one fluid molecule. In turn, other molecules that are not in contact with the surface but directly or indirectly with the at least one molecule may be subjected to shear forces. As a consequence, movement of the surface may cause conveyance of fluid comprising of the at least one fluid molecule and the other molecules.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,06,1142 discloses a machine for propelling or imparting energy to fluids comprising in combination a plurality of spaced disks rotatably mounted and having plane surfaces, an inclosing casing, ports of inlet at the central portion of the casing through which the fluid is to be introduced to the axial portions of the disks, and ports of outlet at the peripheral portion of the casing through which the fluid, when the machine is drive by power, is to be expelled.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,416, entitled “Rotary Disc Pump”, to Gurth, discloses a rotary disc pump for pumping fluid materials. The rotary disc pump comprises a housing having a front and a back wall forming a chamber with a generally coaxial inlet in the front wall and a generally tangential outlet, an impeller is mounted co-axially within the chamber and comprises a shaft mounted in the back wall of said housing and having an outer end emanating from the housing and an inner end within the chamber, at least a first circular which is disc mounted on the inner end of the shaft, and at least a second disc which is mounted in axially spaced relation to the first disc and has an opening in the center thereof, arid a conical member which emanates co-axially of the shaft from the first disc toward the second disc.
French patent application 2 846 033 to Ribaud, discloses a Tesla pump comprising a casing, a rotor with several plane, spaced, parallel coaxial discs rotating on a shaft. The assembly is surrounded by an external spiraled volute. An internal spiraled volute is housed in a central cavity inside the disc assembly. The internal end of each internal volute communicates through an internal channel with one of the casing fluid inlet and outlet openings.
Patent application WO2004/077639, entitled “Pump or turbine, drive unit comprising such a pump or turbine and outboard motor” to Neeb et al., discloses a pump or turbine comprising a housing provided with at least one chamber, a rotor, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft in the chamber, an inlet, which communicates with the chamber at least at the location of the shaft, and an outlet channel, which communicates with the chamber at least at the periphery of the rotor. The pump or turbine moreover comprises at least one bypass channel, a first end of which opens into the outlet channel of the pump and a second end of which forms an inlet.